McCain hopes to turn the tide in Great Lakes area

[onehandle]

Source: AP

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Democratic dominance in presidential elections has been the norm for decades throughout much of the country's union-strong industrial Great Lakes region. Republican John McCain hopes to upset that history.

The GOP presidential candidate is mounting strong challenges to Democratic rival Barack Obama in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, and eyeing Minnesota — four states that have thwarted Republicans in at least four straight elections. The Arizona senator is also fighting to hang on to Ohio, a bellwether that President Bush won twice.

snip...

This year McCain views the region as his best, if not his only, chance to keep a Republican in the White House in an election season that strongly favors Democrats after eight years of President Bush. All five states were decided by narrow margins four years ago.

They are home to large numbers of blue-collar whites, whom Obama has struggled to win over; senior citizens, who polls show tilt toward McCain; and Catholics, a swing-voting constituency. These groups comprise the bulk of the right-leaning suburban Democrats who were successfully courted by Ronald Reagan in the 1980s and may be attracted to McCain if he can keep his distance from Bush. In addition, each state has rural conservative voters who could reject Obama's liberal voting record and, perhaps, his race.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080821/ap_on_el_pr/great_lakes_mccain

[mediaman007]

1. Working against the McCain camp is the fact that this part of the nation

values education.

[OnionPatch]

3. And they value their jobs.

Many of which have been lost overseas. McCain keeps telling them those jobs aren't coming back. If I were them, I'd tell him not to bother coming back.

[saltpoint]

2. McCain's most competitive Great Lakes chance IMO is Indiana but

even there he is under a much stronger Democratic press than in recent memory. Obama is contesting strongly for Indiana and McCain will be forced to pay attention and drain the piggy bank on it.

I think we win everyplace else. Michigan -- with or without Romney on McCain's ticket; Ohio -- with or without Portman or Kasich on McCain's ticket; Wisconsin; Pennsylvania -- with or without Ridge on McCain's ticket; and New York -- by a near landslide percentage.

Illinois is a lost cause for the Republicans. The state GOP is in shards and it's Obama's home field.

[MichiganVote]

4. Michigan is much more tenuous for both candidates than either may believe.

[LeftHander]

5. Republicans here are sick of Republicans....

I think they will vote Dem in national...and even in local races Dems doing better.

(local GOP politicians are batshit looney in Wisconsin)